The Stream

The Center for Marriage Policy

Friday, June 6, 2008

James McGee, the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, has spoken out against Robert Mugabe's government. He believes their decision to suspend the activities of non-profits groups like CARE International effectively puts them in charge of distributing food and is withholding food from supporters of the opposition MDC. Oh, opposition supporters can get food. As long as they turn in their identification and give their support to ZANU-PF. The Ambassador fears "massive, massive starvation." McGee spoke before reporters assembled in Washington in a videoconference from Harare and said, "What we have is a bunch of greedy people, who want to stay in power at any cost." He also fears for the safety of MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who has been arrested twice in the past week. "Do I fear for Morgan Tsvangirai's life? Given the excesses of the government here I am not sure what they will do."

Undoubtedly, McGee is less than amused than the treatment U.S. and British diplomatic personnel received at the hands of Zimbabwean authorities yesterday when their convoy was stopped and one American official was beaten by a band of Mugabe supporters.

Given McGee's outspokeness, I cannot help but fear for his safety as well.